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Darashia
Darashia is the capital city of the Darama Desert, and is a safe refuge from the harsh desert environment, the local ogre population, and the perilous travels of the outer world. Renowned for its friendly but street-tough people, Darashia is also known as the "Fisticuff Capital" of Libera. Those that enter the city are expected to help maintain it for their stay, and are gifted with food and rest in exchange. Many of the locals have bounties on their heads, or have been exiled from their own populations. The original founders of the city, comparatively, are pyramid worshippers, who make frequent pilgrimages to the pyramids at Ank'rahmun. Travellers often earn their stay by protecting these pilgrimages on their journies. These journies are also frequently accompanied by a mysterious ogre tamer, who has yet refused to work with any persons other than the local priests. She has been seen deterring ogres by the use of a magical flute. Despite its remote location, Darashia is also known for its Spice Catchers, who are said to harvest Storm Spices from the wind. This mysterious procedure yields different rare spices for every storm that passes through the city, and is a rich element of the local food culture. Most desert dishes are extremely bland without these spices, and the spices are also believed to imbue the inhabitants with desert heat resistance. The meals in Darashia are said to be among the most colourful aspects of the city and are taken very seriously. Newcomers to Darashia often find it difficult to adapt to the 3 hour long meals. Newcomers to the town are also expected to participate in Fisticuff tournaments, during which they will be given an appropriate new name for their stay (This also accommodates for all of the local felons, who would prefer not to provide their real names). The Rules are as follows: 1. All tournaments must begin with an offering to the spirits of the pyramid (to be transported on the next pilgrimage). 2. No weapons--unarmed combat only. 3. Those without bruises at the end of the tournament are to be flayed until they have some (coming away clean from a fight is an indication of cheating or an unfair match). 4. No grudges are allowed beyond the tournament. 5. Winners are determined either by the priestly councilman in attendance, by one participant yielding, or by first blood (bloodied). 6. No healing is permitted. 7. Winners are to be given a free prize of their choice, in proportion to their skills (this may be free drinks, local services or information, or other prizes to be bartered for). FUN FACT: The head priest, Nanta, was once a Libera-renowned executioner for the Dragonborn. His methods were considered to be so graceful and diligent that prisoners would often thank him prior to their death. However, after botching (read: messy) the death of a dishnorable Dragonborn prince, he was exiled from the North. The Tieflings, who found his exilement amusing, offered to shelter him, but he refused and opted instead to run the desert city of Darashia as an altruist, for other "criminals" like himself who required help.